Chapter 4

Bugs and Birds

Once considered an old wives’ tale, research indicates that certain plants have an effect on those around it. Some engender mutual benefits, a few are actually harmful to each other, some repel pests and/or attract beneficial insects. Companion planting of herbs is used mainly to support fruits and vegetables and improve their health and flavor. This information is included in the individual herb entries in Part 3. Some herbs are good friends with each other but a few need to be kept apart.

Herbs are also helpful when it comes to attracting good bugs and repelling the bad ones. The bad bugs eat our gardens and the good bugs eat the bad ones. The Companion Planting and Bugs table provides information on how the herbs included in this book affect other plants. The table also includes details on some of the insects the herbs in this book attract or repel. The Good Bugs table provides details on the good bugs.

Bugs: Friend or Foe

An age-old method for thwarting the bad bugs is straightforward and simple: plant a variety of herbs. It doesn’t have to be a wide variety of different plants, just avoid having a lot of one type of herb so pests won’t be attracted by a large target.

It also helps to grow annuals in a different spot each year and transplant perennials every four to six years. Since pests usually need more than one season to establish themselves, changing the plants around disrupts them. In addition to weeding and keeping the garden cleaned up, composting to keep the soil healthy encourages beneficial organisms, which will help keep the bad ones in check.

Companion Planting and Bugs
Herb	Good For	Bad For	Bugs
Anise	Coriander/cilantro; cabbage	Carrots	Repels cabbage loopers, imported cabbage moths
Basil	Peppers, tomatoes		Repels asparagus beetles, fleas, flies, mosquitoes
Bay			Repels weevils
Borage	Beans, cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes		Attracts bees; repels tomato hornworms
Caraway	Peas
Cayenne	Cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes		Repels moths, weevils
Chamomile, German	Most herbs, especially basil, dill, peppermint; cabbage, cucumbers, onions		Attracts predatory wasps, hoverflies; repels fleas
Chamomile, Roman	Most herbs, especially basil, dill, peppermint		Attracts predatory wasps, hoverflies; repels fleas
Clary			Attracts bees
Coriander/ Cilantro	Anise, caraway; spinach	Fennel	Attracts bees; repels aphids, beetles, spider mites
Dill	Cabbage, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, onions	Fennel; carrots, tomatoes	Attracts bees; repels cabbage loopers, cabbage moths, tomato hornworms

Herb	Good For	Bad For	Bugs
Fennel		Most especially caraway and dill; bush beans, kohlrabi, tomatoes	Attracts ladybugs; repels aphids, slugs, snails
Garlic	Cabbage, celery, cucumbers, eggplants, fruit trees, lettuce, peas, roses, tomatoes		Attracts butterflies; repels ants, aphids, Japanese beetles, slugs, snails
Hyssop	Cabbage, grapes		Attracts bees, butterflies; repels beetles, cabbage loopers, imported cabbage moths, fleas
Lavender	Yarrow; daylilies, dianthus, coreopsis, yucca		Attracts bees, butterflies
Lemon Balm	Pumpkins, squash		Attracts bees; repels squash bugs
Lemongrass	Lavender, mints, sage		Repels ants, flies, mosquitoes
Marjoram	Asparagus, beets, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, zucchini		Repels ants
Parsley	Most vegetables

Herb	Good For	Bad For	Bugs
Peppermint	Cayenne, chamomile; cabbage, tomatoes	Parsley	Attracts hoverflies, predatory wasps; repels ants, aphids, bees, flea beetles, white cabbage moths
Rosemary	Sage; beans, cabbage		Attracts bees; repels bean beetles, cabbage flies, slugs, snails
Sage	Marjoram, rosemary; beans, cabbage, carrots, strawberries, tomatoes	Onions	Attracts bees, butterflies; repels cabbage loopers, carrot rust flies, imported cabbage moths
Spearmint	Cabbage, tomatoes	Parsley	Attracts hoverflies, predatory wasps; repels ants, aphids, flea beetles, white cabbage moths
Thyme	Eggplants, potatoes, tomatoes		Attracts bees; repels cabbage worms, whiteflies
Valerian	Most vegetables		Attracts bees, butterflies
Yarrow	Most aromatic herbs		Attracts ladybugs, hoverflies, and predatory wasps

The Good Bugs
Bugs	Benefits
Bumblebees and honeybees	The best pollinators
Butterflies	Aid in pollination
Damselflies	Destroy aphids and a range of other bad bugs
Dragonflies	Destroy flies and mosquitoes
Ground beetles	Destroy cutworms, gypsy moth larvae, and root maggots
Hoverflies	Destroy aphids
Lacewings	Destroy aphids and other bad bugs
Ladybugs	Destroy aphids, mealy bugs, and mites
Praying mantis	Destroy a wide range of bad bugs
Spiders	Destroy a range of bad bugs
Wasps	Small parasitic wasps destroy aphids and caterpillars; the larger predatory wasps destroy caterpillars, and grubs; wasps are also good pollinators

Birds: The Gardener’s Allies

Attracting birds to our backyards provides natural pest control for our gardens. While we might think of putting out a bird feeder only in the winter, birds can use help all year round because of diminishing habitats. The food in the feeder will attract birds but most of them eat a combination of insects, berries, and seeds, so after dining on what you provide they usually stick around to see what else they may find. Year-round residents that stake out your yard as a good food source will also attract migrating birds.

Feeding in the spring is especially important for the birds returning to your area until they reestablish the lay of the land for multiple feeding sites. While summer offers abundant natural sources for food, extra help filling the mouths of hatchlings is a big attraction for busy parent birds. In the autumn, migrating birds need to get ready for their long journeys, and of course, winter is most important when natural sources really dwindle.

In addition to food, providing water for birds is another good way to attract them to your yard. A birdbath can also function as a decorative feature and a focal point for your garden. Instead of a birdbath, use a large flowerpot saucer on the ground or on an up-ended flowerpot in the garden. If your porch is your garden, place a saucer amongst the containers. Feeders and birdbaths should be located near vegetation, which provides birds a safe place to wait their turn at the feeder or to take cover from a predator. Also, it is important to keep feeders and baths clean to avoid diseases.

Another attraction is to simply leave an area of your yard as natural as possible. This can be just some leaf litter under a shrub, which will encourage birds to forage for insects. A bare patch of loose soil will also appeal to birds for taking dust baths. In addition to keeping insects in check, some birds, such as finches and sparrows, are helpful for weed control because they have a fondness for many types of weed seeds.

The availability of nesting sites also lures birds. Trees and shrubs offer natural places but we can foster their interest by providing nest boxes or birdhouses. Ideally, these should be at least five feet above the ground, out of direct sunlight, and sheltered from heavy rain. Locating these near trees or shrubs is helpful. An exception is a martin house, which should be pole mounted about fourteen feet above the ground and at least fifteen feet away from structures. Martins like to be able to circle their colonies. There are two excellent websites for more information about attracting birds to your backyard: the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at www.allaboutbirds.org and the Audubon Society at www.audubon.org. In addition, consider putting up a bat box to provide a nearby roost. Bats are excellent helpers for insect control.

Inviting birds to your backyard will not completely rid your garden of insects but they will help maintain a healthy, balanced environment free of pesticides. Of course, there are other benefits beyond gardening. Bird watching is a relaxing pastime and a good stress-buster. It is also a fun, educational experience to share with children.

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